In the oil and gas exploration industry, marine geophysical prospecting is commonly used in the search for hydrocarbon-bearing subterranean formations. Marine geophysical prospecting techniques may yield knowledge of the subsurface structure of the Earth, which is useful for finding and extracting hydrocarbon deposits such as oil and natural gas. Seismic surveying is one of the well-known techniques of marine geophysical prospecting.
In some instances of seismic surveying conducted in a marine environment (which may include saltwater, freshwater, and/or brackish water environments), one or more marine seismic sources are typically configured to be submerged and towed by a vessel. The vessel is typically also configured to tow one or more laterally spaced streamers through the water. At selected times, control equipment may cause the one or more marine seismic sources to actuate. Seismic signals may then be received by sensors disposed along the streamers. Data collected during such a seismic survey may be analyzed to assist identification of hydrocarbon-bearing geological structures, and thus determine where deposits of oil and natural gas may be located.